The Scarlet Letter
by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Subjects: Adultery, Puritans
Genre: Classics

Hester stands on the scaffold holding a small baby girl.  Hester, a married woman whose husband is gone has been found guilty of adultery, the scarlet letter A has been stitched across her dress as a badge of her crime.  She has been spared death or a branding because of the efforts of Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale.  Below and above her the crowd of Puritans stands in condemnation and the church and civil leaders call on her to reveal the name of her partner.  Hester remains silent but gives a start of fear when she sees an old man at the edge of the crowd put his finger to his lips.  Who is this deformed little man and who is Hester protecting?  What will become of Hester and her small daughter, to find out read the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Booktalk prepared by Janice Bailey, East Central High Librarian